Orphaned otter cubs rescued at Earlston

The otter cubs were discovered on a flooded river bank in Earlston and are now in the care of the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross.

Centre manager Colin Seddon said: “The cubs found on the river bank in Earlston had a very lucky escape as it was a difficult rescue for our officer in the dark.

“Despite their ordeal, the cubs are doing well. They are sisters who are around 10 weeks old and are self-feeding. They don’t need much attention from our staff as they have each other.

“Typically, otter cubs will remain in the care of our wildlife centre for around a year, as this is how long they would stay with their mother in the wild. We are hopeful the otters will be returned to their natural habitat after this point.

“This has been our busiest year for otter cubs and we are currently caring for 14 at the moment. We would advise anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal to call our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999.”